Behind the Jewelry

Happy Birthday Leo

Leo - the Lion

7/23 - 8/22

Basic Traits:

The zodiac signs and meanings of Leo is about expanse, power and exuberance. Leo's are natural born leaders, and they will let you know it as they have a tendency to be high-minded and vocal about their opinions. That's okay, because if you observe, the Leo is usually correct in his/her statements. Leo's have a savvy way of analyzing a situation and executing swift judgment with a beneficial outcome. It comes from being a leader. They are brave, intuitive, and also head-strong and willful. Beneath their dynamic persona lies a generous, loving, sensitive nature that they do not easily share with others. They might be a bit bossy, but those who know them understand this comes from a source need to do good, not (usually) from an inflated ego.

The Deeper Meaning:

Leo emphasized in your birth chart indicates your task is to be as the Sun in the solar system. Consider what the Sun does. It holds everything in place with its magnetism and gravity. It gives out warmth and light to all. It is reliable - it rises in the morning and sets in the evening. Everything benefits from its radiance. Leos, at their best, radiate warmth wherever they go, in such a way as to enhance the lives of those with whom they associate. This they do simply by being themselves rather than as the result of a conscious intention. The reputation that Leos have for being self-centered or egotistical has some reason for its existence, but at their best, Leos know that the appreciation of others is worthless unless it is a response to a genuine warmth exuding from them.

Following the sign of Cancer in the zodiac, Leo signifies the move away from home and family to be an individual in one's own right. This could be an issue for you if your birth chart has any planets in Cancer, as when you are affirming your right to live your own life, you may feel the retrogressive pull of family responsibilities (real or imagined), and perhaps actual pressure may be applied by your family of origin which may not like anyone stepping out of line. Compatibility in love relationships may be an issue here.
However, provided the break is made and one's individuality is allowed to shine, Leos are often drawn towards positions of responsibility as, being like the Sun at the center of things, they are able to have a good overall picture.

Your chart as a whole will provide clues as to what might stand in the way of the Leo quest. For instance, many planets in earth signs (like Virgo) might indicate that you feel held back by mundane matters when what you really want to do is to be fired with imagination and lead. As already indicated, planets in Cancer could also be an issue.

July Birthstone

Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for January is a garnet, while lucky babies born in April get a diamond as their birthstone.

The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December.

There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.

Ruby

There’s no better way to demonstrate your love than by giving a ruby in celebration of a July birthday. Rubies arouse the senses, stir the imagination, and are said to guarantee health, wisdom, wealth and success in love. Ruby is a variety of the gems species corundum. It is harder than any natural gemstone except diamond, which means a ruby is durable enough for everyday wear. Fine-quality ruby is extremely rare, and the color of the gem is most important to its value. The most prized color is a medium or medium dark vivid red or slightly purplish red. If the gem is too light or has too much purple or orange, it will be called a fancy-color sapphire.

Healing properties of the Ruby - Aiding the emotions is the Ruby's calling card. Also known to increase integrity, devotion, and happiness.

Happy Birthday Cancer

Cancer - the Crab

6/22 - 7/22

Basic Traits:

Cancers love home-life, family and domestic settings. They are traditionalists, and enjoy operating on a fundamental level. They love history, and are fascinated with the beginnings of things (heraldry, ancestry, etc.). The moon is their ruler, so they can be a bit of a contradiction and sometimes moody. However, they are conservative, so they'll be apt to hide their moods from others altogether. They have a reputation for being fickle, but they'll tell you that isn't true, and it's not. Cancers make loyal, sympathetic friends. However Cancers need alone time, and when they retreat, let them do so on their terms.

The Deeper Meaning:

The sign of Cancer witnesses to the importance of a sense of belonging in human life. It is, more than any other, the sign of home and family, but, fortunately in view of the conditions of modern life, not necessarily home and family in a literal sense. The Cancer emphasis in your birth chart shows what you are striving for, whether consciously or not, is a sense that, whatever your circumstances, there is a place on earth, or an experience, or a group of people, or an interest, which can give you a sense of belonging, where you can feel at home and that you are a member of a family.

The sign of Cancer also witnesses to the importance of roots, or origins, of considering the present in relation to the past. Many people feel they can ignore the past, yet feel something is lacking from their lives. Cancers enrich the present by honoring its links to history.

Since Cancers have a need to feel they belong, they can be very reluctant to let go of or move on from situations that give them a sense of emotional security, and sometimes it is necessary to move on. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and to have the Sun in the Moon's sign can indicate a reluctance to leave the realm of Mother, childhood home and family in order to undertake the solar task of becoming an individual in one's own right. This task is symbolized by the move from Cancer to the next sign Leo, which is ruled by the Sun.

Cancer is a water sign, and the psychological opposite is air, the thinking function. If you chart is lacking in planets in air, you are likely to find it difficult to view emotionally complex situations in which you may find yourself with any detachment. This can lead to compatibility issues in love relationships. You may be described as 'over-emotional' by people whose charts are dominated by the element of air - and maybe you see them as too detached! Suppose you have the Moon in Aquarius - an air sign - to complement your Cancer emphasis. You may be instinctively drawn to an ideal (an air phenomenon) that conflicts with your need to belong, and you have to perform an inner negotiation to honor both parts of your own nature.

June Birthstone

Pearl

Historically, pearls have been used as an adornment for centuries. They were one of the favorite gem materials of the Roman Empire; later in Tudor England, the 1500s were known as the pearl age. Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market.

Healing powers of the Pearl - Known for its calming properties, the Pearl is said to aid purity, charity, integrity, truth, and loyalty in its wearer.

Alexandrite

A relatively modern gem, Alexandrite, was first discovered in Russia in 1831 during the reign of its namesake, Czar Alexander II, and is an extremely rare chrysoberyl with chameleon-like qualities. Its color is a lovely green in both daylight and fluorescent light; it changes color to a purplish red in incandescent light. Due to its rarity, some jewelers stock synthetic versions of this enchanting gemstone. (Synthetic gemstones are man-made alternatives to the natural material, possessing the same physical, optical, and chemical properties as the natural gemstone.)

Moonstone

The third birthstone for June is the Moonstone. It was given its name by the Roman natural historian Pliny, who wrote that moonstone's appearance altered with the phases of the moon — a belief that held until well after the sixteenth century. A phenomenal gemstone, moonstones show a floating play of light (called adularescence) and sometimes show either a multirayed star or a cat's eye. Considered a sacred stone in India, moonstones often are displayed on a background of yellow (a sacred color) and are believed to encapsulate within the stone a spirit whose purpose is to bring good fortune. Part of the family of minerals called feldspar, moonstone occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks and comes in a variety of colors such as green, blue, peach, and champagne.

The most prized moonstones are from Sri Lanka; India, Australia, the United States, Mayanmar, and Madagascar are also sources.

Happy Birthday Gemini

Gemini - the Twins

5/21 - 6/21

Basic Traits:

Flexibility, balance and adaptability are the keywords for the Gemini. They are quick to grasp the meaning of a situation and act on it, often with positive effects. They tend to have a duality to their nature, and can sometimes be tough to predict how they will react. They can turn from hot to cold and may be prone to noticeable mood swings. However, they are generous signs with tendencies of being affectionate, and imaginative. They also inspire others easily as they seem to naturally motivate themselves - their charisma and accomplishments are infectious. Geminis are very supportive, and are especially good at promotions, sales, and driving hard bargains.

The Deeper Meaning:

The purpose of Gemini is to be one who gathers and conveys information. Gemini is to the human race as a whole what the nervous system (which Gemini rules) is to the body. If the body is in touch with a dangerous object, the nervous system carries a message to another part of the body which results in an impulse being generated which has the necessary effect of withdrawing that part of the body from the dangerous object. Or your senses may detect a pleasant fragrance coming from somewhere, a message signals that it might enhance your enjoyment of life if you move towards the source of the fragrance, and you might move towards it (especially if you have planets in Taurus in your birth chart - Taurus enjoys the physical pleasures of life!)

In order for the nervous system to be effective, it must be sensitive to many different types of stimuli, and this says something about the Gemini inclination. Gemini often takes an interest in many different things, in all sorts of information, so much so that it can fail to get an in depth knowledge of anything. Sometimes this is what is wanted - you can feed the information to others, and then they may be able to fit it into a pattern which is useful, even though it appears useless to you. You may be reading a book, and before you have finished it, be distracted by another book that takes your interest, and so never get to the bottom of what the first book was about. This can lead to criticism from others who value the virtues of persistence, but ultimately it may work toward the Gemini aim of providing as much information as possible to the collective in the hope that some of it may be of use somewhere.

Gemini is an air sign, and as such puts great value on the mind and its thinking function, to the extent that emotional experiences may be regarded as complications that are best avoided. Psychologically, air is attracted to water, but air finds the emotions difficult to deal with as they don't fit in with its concept of an ideal world. But emotions must be dealt with for the mind to be effective. Have you noticed how an emotional catharsis can clear the mind and help you think more effectively? This conflict may be apparent time and time again if you have significant planets (e.g. the Moon) in water signs in your birth chart. Compatibility issues may abound in love relationships. For instance, if the Moon is in Scorpio in your chart you will find yourself drawn towards emotionally complex situations, perhaps entanglements in relationships, which you have to live with at the same time as the Gemini in you is trying to be rational about them. Not an easy task, but the combination of emotional complexity and the ability to examine rationally what is going on can be a very fruitful one, can make you a deeper person, one who is sought out because of the experience you have.

May Birthstone

Emerald

As the birthstone for May, the emerald, a symbol of rebirth, is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth. Emerald, derived from the word smaragdus, meaning green in Greek, was mined in Egypt as early as 330 B.C.

Today, most of the world’s emeralds are mined in Colombia, Brazil, Afghanistan, and Zambia. The availability of high-quality emerald is limited; consequently, treatments to improve clarity are performed regularly.

Featured Jewelry - Week 17

All designs are currently available at BlueCopperJewelry.com.

To see more details on any of these pieces, just click on the link directly below the photo.

Inspired by nature, these crystal bracelets evokes feelings of lazing on tropical beaches, running through lavender fields, sitting by burbling streams, and watching the leaves change in Fall.